Bath-brush and towel operating mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. MAYER. BATH BRUSH AND TOWEL OPERATING MECHANISM.

Patented Oct. 16, 1888..

N. PETERS. PhoXo-Lhhognbflr. Wa'ahingtnm D. c

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. MAYER.

BATH BRUSH AND TOWEL OPERATING MEGHANISM. No. 391,325. Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

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JOSEPH MAYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,325, dated October 16, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it k nown that I, Josnrrr MAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bath-Brush and Towel Operating Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to brush and towel operating mechanism for use by a bather, particularly in a bath-room.

It has for its object to enable the bather to readily brush or scrub his back with a brush secured to a part of said mechanism, or to dry the same and produce friction thereon by substituting a towel for the brush.

It consists in the various combinations of mechanism hereinafter described, and embraced in the claims.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

Figure 1 is a view of the interior of a bathroom, showing the mechanism in its relation thereto and to the usual bath-tub. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, partly in section, showing the two different means of operating the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism taken through the lower part of the spring-arm that carries the brush or towel. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the brush or towel clamp and a portion of the spring carrying the same. Fig. 5 is a side view of the said clamp as it appears when a towel is secured therein. Fig. 6 is a front View of the reciprocating carrier separated and apart from its connections. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the device with the brush or towel clamp removed for better showing the reciprocating carrier in position.

A is an upper bracket provided with holes, through which screws may be passed to fasten the same to the wall of a bath-room or other suitable support. Its projecting arms, each having a sleeve, are to fit securely upon the upper ends of the vertical rods and support them in position away from the wall of the bath-room.

B is a lower bracket of the same kind.

0 O are vertical guiding rods or ways having their ends secured in the brackets.

D is the reciprocating carrier, provided with sleeves d d, to fit upon the guiding rods or ways 0 O, to slide thereon. It has at its upper end a hole, at, through which a rope may be passed in fastening the same thereto. Arecess, d, is provided on its front face, in which one end ofthespring-arm supporting the brush or towel clamp may be fastened in any suitable manner, as by riveting. A slot or opening passes through the carrier lengthwise. A threaded hole, (1 is provided on its lower face for containing a set-screw. On the upper rear part is a lug, i, notched on its upper side to receive a loop of a rubber spring.

E is a handle attachment to be secured in the longitudinal slot or opening of the carrier D (shown in vertical section in Fig. 2) by means of a set-screw, f, bearing against the vertical part 6, passed up into said slot. Each of the horizontal arms 6 projects laterally and forwardly and is provided with a hand-hole,e

F is a spring bent in theform of an inverted U to serve as a brush or towel support, the rear end being secured in the recess (1 by means of rivets f. The front or projecting end of said spring is provided with a clamp consisting of a stationary jaw, f having an upwardly-projecting serrated flange, f and a movable or sliding jaw, f, having a downwardly-projecting serrated flange, f. A setscrew, f, is passed into ascrew-threaded hole in the sliding jawf, to secure the same in its adjusted position. G is a brush having the upper and lower sides of its back grooved to receive the serrated edges of the flanges f and f. The sides of the back may be plain, instead of being grooved, but the latter shape is preferred.

H is a towel bunched up or folded together and held between the clamp-jawsff I is an adjustable cross piece or bar, having a rearwardly-projecting lug, i, notched on its under side to receive and hold the lower end of a rubber band, and having sleeves at its ends to fit over the vertical rods 0, and adjustable thereon by means of the set-screws i J is a rubber band to fit over the. notched lugs i 1', serving to draw down the carrier when a rope is used to give it upward movement. When the handle E is used, then the rope K is dispensed with, as also the rubber J.

K is a rope having one end secured to the upper part of the carrier D, it being passed through the hole 41 and then fastened, the other end being passed over a pulley, k, suspended by a hanger, k, from the ceiling of the room, the free end of the rope hanging down within easy reach of any one in position for applying the brush or towel, to serve as ahand-hold by which to reciprocate the carrier and the brush or towel.

The brackets A and B for holding the vertical rods 0 O are secured to the wall of the bath-room over the bath-tub, as shown in Fig. 1, so that a person standing upright in the bath-tub with his back turned to the wall will be in position for the brush or towel, as the case may be, to bear against his back. Then by giving the vertical reciprocations to the carrier D by means of the handle E or by the rope K the brush or towel is caused to rub the back. The brush may have its bristles or friction-surface moistened or otherwise provided with any suitable detergent-as soap, &c.and then be fastened in the clamp by clasping the sides of its back between the jaws ff, and then by affixing the upper jaw, f, in position by means of the set screw f. After using the brush it is taken out of the clamp by releasing the set screw f and sliding the jaw f upward on the spring-support F, and the towel H is rolled or otherwise formed into a bunch of suitable shape to present a good rubbing-surface in front, and is secured between the jawsff by sliding down the upper jaw and fastening it by the set-screwf in the ad j nsted clamping position upon the towel. held between it and the lower jaw.

Either the handle E or the rope K may be used for imparting the reeiprocatory movement to the carrier D and the spring-support F, and thereby to the brush or to the towel. XVhen one means is used, however, the other is not, and is preferably detached from the carrier D, so as to be less in the way.

It will be understood that the various or- I ders of brushes, towels, sponges, or other articles or materials suitable for producing friction upon the skin of a person, either in washing, drying, or for merely stimulating the skin or increasing the tone of the flesh, may be clamped between the jaws and used instead of those described and shown, and that the de- Vice may be fastened to any suitable support,

1. The combination of a clamp having a spring-support, a carrier connected to the latter, guiding-rods on which the carrier is adapted to slide, and an adjustable cross piece or bar connecting the guiding-rods to limit the downward movement ofthe carrier on said rods, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination ot'a clamp, a springsupport therefor connected to a carrier, guid ing rods or ways upon which the carrier is adapted to slide, an adjustable cross-piece, a spring connected to the carrier and to the adjustable cross-piece to move the carrier in one direction, and a handle to move the carrierin the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.

'3. The combination of a clamp for holding a brush or towel or analogous article, a support therefor connected with a carrier, guiding rods or ways for the carrier, an adjustable cross piece or bar on said rods, and an adj ustable handle for operating thecarrier, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of brackets for attachment to a wall or other support, the guiding rods or ways, an adjustable cross piece, a sliding carrier, a clamp-support secured to the carrier, a clamp for holding a brush or towel or other analogous article, and an adjustable hand-hold device by which to reciprocate the carrier, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the handle E, the carrier D, provided with a slot to receive the handle, a threaded hole, d a set-screw, '5 the spring F, secured to the carrier, and the clamp for holding the brush or towel, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of a carrier, D, an adjustable handle, a spring-support for a clamp, a clamp provided with claspingflanges having serrated edges, and a guiding device for the carrier adapted to be secured to the wall or other supporting-surface, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOSEPH MAYER. 

